2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season (MG's realistic version)
The 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season was below average, due to a moderate El Nino event. The season had 10 named storms, 4 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes. The season began before the official start on June 1st, for the 4th year in a row, with Tropical Storm Alberto on May 16. It ended on October 18, with the dissipation of Hurricane Joyce. The impacts of the season were below average, with only two storms making landfall in the United States, both below hurricane intensity. The El Nino was well forecasted, as it had already formed by the end of 2017. There was a notable lack of significant storms in this season, but some worth noting are Alberto in May, which formed in the Atlantic off-season, Hurricane Chris, which produced high winds in Cape Verde as it reached hurricane intensity just offshore, Tropical Storm Ernesto, which dropped heavy rain in Mexico, Hurricanes Florence and Isaac, the majors of the year, and Hurricane Joyce, which reached category 1 intensity at a very high latitude. Timeline ImageSize = width:800 height:240 PlotArea = top:10 bottom:80 right:20 left:20 Legend = columns:3 left:30 top:58 columnwidth:270 AlignBars = early DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/05/2016 till:01/11/2016 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMinor = grid:black unit:month increment:1 start:01/05/2016 Colors = id:canvas value:gray(0.88) id:GP value:red id:TD value:rgb(0.38,0.73,1) legend:Tropical_Depression_=_≤39_mph_(≤62_km/h) id:TS value:rgb(0,0.98,0.96) legend:Tropical_Storm_=_39–73_mph_(63–117_km/h) id:C1 value:rgb(1,1,0.80) legend:Category_1_=_74–95_mph_(118–153_km/h) id:C2 value:rgb(1,0.91,0.46) legend:Category_2_=_96–110_mph_(154–177_km/h) id:C3 value:rgb(1,0.76,0.25) legend:Category_3_=_111–129_mph_(178–208_km/h) id:C4 value:rgb(1,0.56,0.13) legend:Category_4_=_130–156_mph_(209–251_km/h) id:C5 value:rgb(1,0.38,0.38) legend:Category_5_=_≥157_mph_(≥252_km/h) Backgroundcolors = canvas:canvas BarData = barset:Hurricane bar:Month PlotData= barset:Hurricane width:10 align:left fontsize:S shift:(4,-4) anchor:till from:16/05/2016 till:18/05/2016 color:TS text:"Alberto (TS)" from:05/06/2016 till:07/06/2016 color:TS text:"Beryl (TS)" from:01/07/2016 till:06/07/2016 color:C1 text:"Chris (C1)" from:11/08/2016 till:13/08/2016 color:TS text:"Debby (TS)" from:18/08/2016 till:22/08/2016 color:TS text:"Ernesto (TS)" from:29/08/2016 till:04/09/2016 color:C3 text:"Florence (C3)" from:30/08/2016 till:03/09/2016 color:TS text:"Gordon (TS)" from:22/09/2016 till:24/09/2016 color:TS text:"Helene (TS)" barset:break from:23/09/2016 till:03/10/2016 color:C4 text:"Isaac (C4)" from:14/10/2016 till:18/10/2016 color:C1 text:"Joyce (C1)" bar:Month width:5 align:center fontsize:S shift:(0,-20) anchor:middle color:canvas from:01/05/2016 till:01/06/2016 text:May from:01/06/2016 till:01/07/2016 text:June from:01/07/2016 till:01/08/2016 text:July from:01/08/2016 till:01/09/2016 text:August from:01/09/2016 till:01/10/2016 text:September from:01/10/2016 till:01/11/2016 text:October TextData = pos:(570,30) text:"(From the" pos:(618,30) text:"Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale)" Seasonal forecasts Storms Tropical Storm Alberto An area of low pressure split off a front moving into the Atlantic ocean in early May 2018. The low persisted for several days north of the Bahamas, and it eventually developed into a Tropical Depression on May 16. The storm intensified into Tropical Storm Alberto 12 hours later. Shortly after forming, Alberto began to move northward. The storm paralleled the east coast, briefly hitting peak winds of 60 mph on May 17. It was initially forecast to make landfall in Nova Scotia, which caused a small evacuation. However, Alberto remained south of the Canadian country, and became post-tropical on May 18. Alberto had little land impact. Tropical Storm Beryl A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa. It showed little signs of development as it moved over the greater Antilles. On June 4, the wave moved over Florida, and into the Gulf of Mexico. The wave was monitored for development, as conditions were favorable. The wave developed into Tropical Depression Two on June 5. The next day, it intensified into Tropical Storm Beryl. Beryl moved west, gradually gaining intensity. Beryl peaked with 45 mph winds, and made landfall in Brownsville, Texas, on June 7, at that intensity. Beryl weakened inland, and dissipated over the mountains of Mexico on June 7. Hurricane Chris A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on July 1. It rapidly consolidated within favorable conditions, and became Tropical Depression Three that day. It intensified into Tropical Storm Chris some hours later. The NHC noted the possibility of a Fred 2015 repeat, but Chris moved south. Chris became a hurricane on July 3, and reached peak that day, with 80 mph winds, before drier air caused the storm to weaken. Chris moved out into the open Atlantic, and re-intensified as it entered an area of moister air. Chris briefly became a hurricane again on July 5, before accelerating north, and becoming extratropical on July 6. Chris caused high winds in Cape Verde, but damage was low. Tropical Storm Debby A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa, but showed little development until August 9, when it began to develop convection. The NHC monitored it for development, and it developed into Tropical Storm Debby two days later, northeast of the Lesser Antilles. Debby intensified at a fair pace, peaking with 65 mph winds on August 13. Shortly after peak, Debby began to weaken as the center became exposed, due to higher wind shear. Eventually, Debby's convection became entirely separated from the center, and it was declared a remnant low later that day. Debby brought gale-force winds to Bermuda, but damage was minor. Tropical Storm Ernesto Ernesto developed from a tropical wave off the coast of Africa. Unusual to El Nino events, Ernesto developed in the Caribbean, on August 18. In an area of low shear, it was able to intensify into a tropical storm. Despite rapid intensification was forecast, dry air in the Caribbean prevented much intensification, and Ernesto struck the Yucatan Peninsula on August 20, with winds of 40 mph. It weakened to a depression as it crossed over the Yucatan, but re-intensified over the Bay of Campeche, peaking with 50 mph winds. Shortly after, Ernesto made landfall in Veracruz, Mexico at peak intensity. Ernesto moved inland, and dissipated on August 22. The remnants later contributed to Hurricane Hector in the Pacific. Hurricane Florence Florence developed in the narrow channel between Haiti and Puerto Rico, on August 29. It moved northwest, and entered an area of favorable conditions. Florence became a hurricane on August 30, and began to rapidly intensify, eventually becoming the first major hurricane of the season, as a well-defined eye appeared on satellite. After causing damage in the Bahamas, Florence was pushed to the north, and began to weaken due to colder sea surface temperatures. Florence accelerated to the north, and narrowly made landfall on Nova Scotia on September 2, as a category 1 hurricane. Further weakening continued, supported by land interaction, and Florence made a second landfall in Newfoundland early on September 4, with 60 mph winds. Shortly after, Florence became extratropical, and entered the far northern Atlantic. Tropical Storm Gordon A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on August 28. In an area of fairly favorable conditions, it developed into a Tropical Depression on August 30. It intensified into Tropical Storm Gordon on September 1, and it peaked with winds of 50 mph on September 2. Shortly after peak intensity, Gordon began to weaken due to increasing shear and dry air. Gordon eventually became a remnant low on September 3. The storm was forecast to re-develop a few days later, but it did not regenerate. Tropical Storm Helene Helene developed from a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa, but did not become a tropical cyclone until it was in the Bahamas. It became a depression on September 22, and rapidly intensified into Helene 6 hours later. Helene struck Florida with 40 mph winds, and Helene emerged into the Gulf of Mexico. Helene peaked in the Gulf, with 45 mph winds. The storm than made landfall in Mississippi with 45 mph winds, and dissipated near the Mississippi-Louisiana border on September 24. Hurricane Isaac A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on September 20. It passed the Cape Verde Islands, and became Tropical Depression Nine on September 23. It intensified into Tropical Storm Isaac, but it weakened shortly after, due to less favorable conditions. After leaving this area, Isaac was able to re-intensify, and it became a hurricane on September 27. With warm sea surface temperatures and low shear, Isaac quickly intensified, becoming the second major, and ultimately the season's strongest storm with 145 mph winds. Isaac began to weaken shortly after, due to colder waters. The storm weaved around Bermuda before becoming extratropical on October 3. Hurricane Joyce A non-tropical low began to show signs of organization on October 13. Within a fair environment, it became Tropical Depression Ten on October 14. It intensified into Tropical Storm Joyce later that day. Gradual intensification occurred, and Joyce became a hurricane on October 17, and peaked that day, with 80 mph winds. At that time, Joyce passed the Azores, Causing light damages. Shortly after, the storm began to weaken as it entered unfavorable conditions, and it became extratropical on October 18, ending the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season. Season Effects Storm Names These are the storm names used to name storms in 2018. The names not retired from this list were used again in the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season. This is the same list used in the 2012 season, with the exception of the name Sara, which replaced Sandy. No new names were used this year. No names were deemed worthy of retirement, so the same names will return in 2024. Category:Atlantic hurricane seasons